Nightmares
by MidnightNinja777
Summary: Ashfur never forgot about Brindleface. In fact, her death replays in his nightmares almost every night. But what happens when there's a slight change in his night-time horrors? One-shot, rated for death


**Well, first attempt at a Warriors fanfic ^^ I've actually liked it for a while, but it took me some time to think up a proper plot that wasn't just "Oh, hey, this is about my OC Clan, -Clan! *insert prophecy*". Which is kind of what I've been writing so far xP I like them, but when I try writing them… Well, I just can't.**

**So anyway, I'm trying a one-shot for the first time. At least this way I don't have to worry about readers waiting for updates. (PS: to any Warriors-and-Naruto fans who just got a false alarm for Uchiha Twin, sorry ^^)**

**To wrap up this really long intro: I'm not such a big fan of Ash/Squirrel, but for some reason I only get interesting ideas with characters who aren't my favorites, so yeah, weird me.**

**Disclaimer: Warriors by Erin Hunter**

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_Green eyes flash in the night. They don't see the shadow lurking behind, amber eyes glowing. The broad-shouldered figure creeps closer._

_My paws are locked to the ground, as always, and all I can do is scream, "Run!"_

_She doesn't hear._

"_Brindleface, run!" I scream._

_Too late. The long claws glint as they sink into my mother's throat, splattering blood across the forest floor. Tigerstar grabs her by the throat with his teeth and tosses her aside like prey. Then he fixes me with a mocking stare, blood speckling his muzzle._

I sit straight up, every hair along my spine bristling. I've had that nightmare almost every night since Tigerstar killed my mother. The way he kills her differs, but it always leaves me helpless. I can never do anything to protect her; I can only watch helplessly.

Squirrelflight stirs beside me. I blink down at her, watching as her flank rises and falls, and my fear starts to fade. Again, I thank StarClan that she chose me over Brambleclaw.

Brambleclaw… Whenever I see him, all I can think of is Tigerstar, murdering my mother.

I curl up beside Squirrelflight, taking comfort from her scent and warmth. My eyes close, but peaceful sleep doesn't come to me yet.

_It's darker than usual, with a cloud shrouding the moon. All I can see of Brindleface and Tigerstar are vague outlines, and their eyes, my mother's green and Tigerstar's gleaming amber._

_Brindleface is padding swiftly ahead, her head raised as if she was searching for prey. Tigerstar lurks behind, matching her pace. He gains on her when she pauses to sniff the air properly._

_I open my mouth to yowl a warning, but just then Tigerstar steps on a twig. The sharp snap makes Brindleface spin around. Relief floods through me. Surely she would see him and flee…_

_Instead, I hear her purr, and her green eyes glow with delight._

_As I stare in shock, the cloud drifts away. Moonlight shines down, illuminating the scene. And I see that the green eyes aren't my mother's._

_Squirrelflight!_

_She rushes forward to press her muzzle to Tigerstar's. Bewildered, I suddenly notice that Tigerstar looks much smaller than usual, and I realize that it's Brambleclaw that Squirrelflight is pressing against._

_Hurt courses through me, but I can't bring myself to disturb them. Squirrelflight had loved Brambleclaw before, and he seemed to be making her happy…_

_Then I see a long claw glinting in the moonlight. My heart stops. Brambleclaw is staring over Squirrelflight's shoulder, his eyes gleaming, as he raises one paw. Squirrelflight, with her eyes closed happily, doesn't notice._

"_Squirrelflight, run!" I screech. She continues pressing against him, purring. "Run!" My call grows desperate, and a sob shakes my shoulders. "He'll kill you! He'll kill you!"_

_Brambleclaw sinks his claws into Squirrelflight's shoulder. She whips around, searching for her attacker, alarm in her eyes. I wince. She shouldn't have turned her back on him…_

_As Brambleclaw flies forward, sinking his teeth in her neck, I see another cat behind him: the same broad shoulders, the same dark tabby fur, the same long claws – and the same amber eyes full of bloodlust._

_I flinch at Squirrelflight's stinging yowl of agony, but, like when Tigerstar killed Brindleface, I'm helpless. My eyes squeeze shut – I don't think I could bear to see her bleeding and broken like my mother._

_When I finally dare to look, she's nothing more than a bloody, ginger heap of fur. I look away quickly – straight at Brambleclaw. He's sneering at me, full of contempt._

I wake up with a choked gasp. I breathe in and out, shivering.

Squirrelflight wakes up this time. She sits up, and blinks those green eyes at me. "Ashfur? What's wrong? You look like a mouse that's just spotted an owl."

I lick her between her ears, forcing my fur to lie flat. "It was just a dream, Squirrelflight," I assure her. "You go back to sleep."

She leans her cheek on my shoulder briefly, before curling up again. Soon, she's asleep. I stare at her, unable to forget her body lying limp on the ground, slaughtered like prey. I sit still, just panting.

"For StarClan's sake, Ashfur," a voice cuts across the den. "Will you get back to sleep?"

I whip around and flinch. Brambleclaw is glaring at me, obviously disturbed by my agitated breathing.

"Sorry," I bluster, and hide my face under my paws, pressed against Squirrelflight.

Mistrust and fear bubble up inside me. I know I shouldn't feel this way about my own Clanmate, but Brambleclaw's face, his muzzle stained with Squirrelflight's blood, is seared into my memory.

I hear him grunt, and the slight rustle tells me he's gone back to sleep in his nest.

My breathing gradually slows as I breathe in Squirrelflight's scent. I won't let Brambleclaw get her. Tigerstar may have stolen away my mother, but I won't let his son take away Squirrelflight.

"I'll keep you safe, Squirrelflight," I whisper, my promise hardly audible even to my own ears. "I'll keep you safe."

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**There. Wow. It came out longer than expected… I hope it didn't turn long and draggy ^^ Some iffy bits (it came out pretty good in my head beforehand) though.**

**I still can't believe I did that to Brambles. I actually prefer Bramble/Squirrel, but for the sake of Ashfur and his nightmares… *sighs* And I loved Ashpaw to bits too.**

**Well, that's all I guess. Review? Criticism is accepted!**


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